Rain, job, life update

My blog lacks life updates.

I've been going through an awkward phase for the past two years. I've tried not to be all philosophical and Generation Why-ee on the blog. But every time I start writing life updates, things get 'philosophical' and Generation Why-ee real fast. So I delete everything and post some Instagrams! This is me inside a tree.

Here's what's happening. 

London is wet and chilly. Summer hasn't arrived and I'm not sure it will. June was the rainiest June since 1910, and we received 3x the monthly rainfall average in the first ten days of July. For as long as I can remember, the ten day weather forecast has consisted of rows of gray clouds with the occasional red lightening bolt.  Last week I couldn't find my raincoat and refused to buy another one, in protest. (I've since found my raincoat, thank goodness.) It's yuck. I know it's hot in the States, but I would give a little toe for sun and shorts and the sweet relief of a cold beverage. I like London when the sun's out. But the sun's rarely out. And in the never ending rain, it's soggy, dirty, and gray.

One quiet Friday afternoon at the bank, my dear colleagues were googling each other and stumbled across this blog. As they clicked through, I was mortified. I was also very thankful I choose not to discuss my job (in detail) online. If you ever have questions about investment banking or my role in the industry (is that vague enough?), please email me. My internship ends mid-August, and then I'm meeting Hannah in Italy for a few days of traveling. And then… no idea. 

I mean, I have ideas. Lots of them.

I've been busy applying for jobs, interviewing for jobs, worrying about jobs, discussing jobs for a few months now. My strategy targets the continental United States, London, and Australia. I'm covering all my bases. The search has its ups and downs. I love the rush after a good interview and the hope after applying for that perfect job that I'm overqualified for (which happened once, and 24 hours later, I was rejected, but you know… the hope in the beginning was great). I enjoyed writing my first four cover letters, but now I begin every cover letter by opening Word and grumpily typing 'JUST GIVE ME THIS JOB.' 

When I'm in a good mood, it's exciting 'having options' and being young and talking about the future. When I'm in a bad mood, I'm convinced I'm going to be broke, alone, and cynical forever. And if you send me articles about the bad economy, god help you.

I've come up with a system to help me deal with uncertainty. I list all my options and highlight the pros and cons for each.

Some examples.

No job, sleeping on my sister's dirt floor pantry in Alabama 
Pros: sunny weather, being near family, biscuits and gravy
Cons: no money, no friends, no Dave

Or,

Interning for free at a nonprofit or comms agency in Colorado 
Pros: sunny weather, work experience I want, Shelley lives in Denver
Cons: no money, no family, no Dave

Or,

Working in finance in London 
Pros: money, Dave, being in the same place for 1+ years
Cons:  the *&^**%&*! rain, professional angst, I miss my friends

Basically, I will enjoy and benefit from being anywhere, somehow.

Fun things I've done lately: a girls weekend with church folk, staying out til the sun came up, eating lots of pasta and pizza, reading good books. Tonight I might go to a surprise birthday party, if I convince myself to change out of my sweat pants and venture back outside (lame, I know). Next weekend we're going to a friend's wedding in Oxford. Then the Olympics, then Italy, and between now and then, I've got four days off to squeeze in.  

Life ain't too terrible.

mb

My top ten

Yesterday my business strategies professor asked us to list the ten "most important things" in our lives, without overthinking. I came up with my first three immediately.

1. friends - building community
2. family - building community
3. being outside, sunshine

Then I had to think for a few seconds.

4. serving God/people - helping
5. self sufficiency - $

Five through eleven slowly came to mind.

6.  travel/adventure
7.  being useful, accomplishing something significant
8.  music, writing, creativity
9.  good food
10. telling stories
11. reading

Can good food be that important?  I think it can.

Linking with love: beautiful photos from a well traveled woman

This weekend...

... I had a couple of pints and a steak pie at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. It's a classic pub pub, with low ceilings and ornate wooden stair railings and bar tops, and it's been around since the 1500s. If you visit me, I'll take you there.

I watched Hurt Locker and can safely say I'd rather be an investment banker than an Improvised Explosive Device specialist.

Today it's so cold and rainy. My boots, raincoat, and umbrella didn't keep me dry, so I picked up some hearty lentil and sausage stew for lunch.

Right now I'm enjoying hot tea and an MTV special on Katy Perry's greatest hits with my roommate Shadma.

My favorite KP hit?  Teenage Dream, hands down. Doesn't it make you want to be in the middle of summer already?  I want to drive to Cali.

Stay dry, eat some stew.
mb

Linking with love: rainy London photo

This weekend...

...was warm and sunny. Yay.

The fat life

A long time ago, a girl I knew always talked about loving "the fat life." In short, the fat life is the life that feels rich and perfect, even while it's imperfect.

Right now, life is rich and perfect. It's a wonderful feeling. Coming back to London after Christmas, I feel more settled and peaceful. I feel at home. I feel energized when I think about the future (read: job applications). Dan from Wyoming and Hannah from Australia have stopped by for week-long visits; we've had brunch at the Orangery and raspberry cocktails out of teapots and plenty of time for catch-up talks. I've joined a challenging choir. Dave and I are taking salsa lessons (thanks, Groupon). I'm solidifying friendships. I love our church and home group.

I love the fat life.

Breakfast in Bristol

Happy late Thanksgiving!

This is the third consecutive year I've been outside America for Thanksgiving. In 2009, I cooked a big summery meal for thirteen Australians. In 2010, I ate pineapple and chocolate cake on a Guatemalan beach with other volunteers. And this year, I had dinner with two South Africans and two Brits at a yummy Turkish restaurant. Oh, what will two thousand and twelve bring?

This weekend Dave and I were in Bristol visiting some of his university friends. I arrived at two in the afternoon and everyone went out for brunch at Deco Lounge.  I was starving. And when my food came, Dave captured the unflattering but heartfelt love I have for good breakfast. You can see a few more photos on his tumblr.

Smart phones

First of all, let me say, getting a cell phone when I first moved to London was a hassle. I ended up choosing a Blackberry because I wanted to use internet and GPS apps as much as I wanted and the Blackberry was cheaper than an iPhone.

I wish someone would have told me that Blackberries suck and that an iPhone is worth the extra money. Or that I didn't need a smart phone at all, that some regular phones have good internet and GPS functions. (Full disclosure: Dave told me this.)

So now I'm stuck with a phone that I pretty much hate (I'm learning to tolerate and work with it... it feels kind of like an arranged marriage). To make matters worse, Dave's company has just GIVEN all their employees brand new iPhones.

I know.

Ridiculous (-ly jealous).

He's starting to use Instagram and all the other super trendy cool photo apps. And since we hang out alot, his life photos are often my life photos. Go to davemasom.tumblr.com to check them out.

You can click on the individual photos to see where in London they were taken... On our way to my roommate Zara's birthday lunch, we noticed this funky interior design shop with a fun name... I love how that photo turned out...

Hope everyone's having a nice weekend!

Happy Halloween!

Last Saturday night we went over to our friends' artsy studio apartment for pizza, wine, and board games. Both our friends do professional photography work (you can google Dizzy Finch London) and got these super dramatic shots of us preparing to dig into the pizza (which we ordered by meter... weird).

I intend to provide a more substantial, wordy update soon, but I never know quite what to say anymore!  Photos are much easier. In brief, I'm settling in nicely... having good days, loving autumn and hot drinks and orange leaves and pumpkin-based foods, taking swing dance lessons, having bad days, getting to know people better, going to Ireland this weekend, still missing American deodorant, deepening my knowledge of Blackberries and Excel... 

You know... life.

I hope everyone had a beautiful October :)

  

Try new things: pea shoots

Last night my friend Olivia came over. We caught up on the last two years over homemade tomato soup and two (okay, three) loaves of garlic bread. Dave showed up later, and I loved the three of us hanging out together... there's something comforting about sharing a friend who has known both of us since our early 18-year-old days. This morning we made a big breakfast and Olivia and Dave went on their ways.

And I've been alone all day. It's been lovely.

Personality tests tell me I'm a people person, and I am, but I'm a bit of an introvert, too. I love spending a day or two reading, lounging, walking around, cooking, doing whatever I like with no schedule and no one to talk to.

Random question: have you ever heard of pea shoots? Last week I grabbed a bag in Sainsbury's when I couldn't find spinach... these little green leaves are delicious!

Apparently pea shoots are only grown and sold in the UK?  I had no idea. I was curious and googled "pea shoots" and found an adorable green website with lots of interesting pea shooty information...

If you happen upon this green vegetable, try it. Very good on sandwiches.

No excuses

Oh, it's late and I'm giving up on trying to figure out my new bank account, my loan repayments, and how the heck to order myself a proper cell phone.

I miss places like this.

London is very busy. It's not easy adjusting to it, or adjusting to being in an office 50 hours every week. I get sleepy and grumpy and frazzled because there's hardly enough time to figure out boring details like bank accounts, much less time to be social. And forget about sleeping for nine consecutive hours.

As I often say to others, I now say to myself: get some real problems. 

I still have much to learn about balance and prioritizing and letting things go. This weekend I identified things I'm gonna try to avoid compromising:

Go to the gym... no excuses.
Don't complain... no excuses.
Put other people before yourself... no excuses.

Exercise, a positive attitude, and selflessness are all very, very important to me. And lately I'm no good at any of them. But I shan't give up!

While avoiding the gym and whining about corporate life and English weather, I've managed to have some good times. Last week I went to a house group dinner/Bible study with people from Church on the Corner. I made some orange cookies because I had two old wrinkly oranges that I didn't want to throw away (the cookies were so yummy). Friday, we watched the 1952 movie The African Queen in a big outdoor amphitheater at the foot of Tower Bridge. On Saturday, some interns and I took the train to Brighton, a town on the southern coast. And yesterday I gave up my no-caffeine diet and made my first at-home cup of coffee since arriving in England. Thinking about it almost makes me look forward to seven am...

Almost.